Transporting station and method for transporting fish in a transporting direction, which is transverse to their longitudinal extent, and fish-processing machine having such a transporting station

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a transporting station ( 10 ), designed and configured for transporting fish transverse to their longitudinal extent in a transport direction T, comprising a conveying device ( 11 ) for transporting individual, separated fish in a lying position along a transport path T L  from an entry region E of the conveying device ( 11 ) to an exit region A of the conveying device ( 11 ), wherein the conveying device ( 11 ) comprises a rotationally driven transport element ( 12 ) which is characterised in that the conveying device ( 11 ) is assigned a change-over device ( 13 ) which is designed and configured and is in operative connection with the conveying device ( 11 ), in such a manner that the fish can be transferred automatically from the lying position on the transport path T L  of the conveying device ( 11 ) into a suspended position on a transport path T H  of the change-over device ( 13 ). The invention is also concerned with a fish processing machine ( 47 ) having such a transporting station ( 10 ), and with a corresponding method.

The invention relates to a transporting station, designed and configuredfor transporting fish transverse to their longitudinal extent in atransport direction T, comprising a conveying device for transportingindividual, separated fish in a lying position along a transport pathT_(L) from an entry region E of the conveying device to an exit region Aof the conveying device, wherein the conveying device comprises arotationally driven transport element.

The invention further relates to a fish processing machine, comprising atransporting station for transporting the fish into the region of a fishprocessing station as well as at least one fish processing station.

The invention further relates to a method for transporting fishtransverse to their longitudinal extent in a transport direction T,comprising the steps: individually depositing fish on a rotationallydriven transport element of a conveying device for transporting the fishin a lying position along a transport path T_(L) and transporting thefish along the transport path T_(L) from an entry region E of theconveying device to an exit region A of the conveying device.

Such transporting stations, fish processing machines and methods areused in the fish processing industry in order to process fishautomatically, in that the fish, in particular salmon and othersalmonidae, but also other fish species, such as whiting, aretransported into the effective region of individual processing stationsby means of the transporting station. For processing the fish, forexample when performing the ventral incision and in particular whenperforming the heading cut, that is when severing the head from thebody, precise positioning of the fish in relation to the relevant toolof the processing station is very important in order to achieve anaccurate incision and in particular a high yield. Using the heading cutas an example, it is important to sever the head from the body asyield-efficiently as possible, i.e. to sever the head in such a way thatas much consumable flesh mass as possible remains on the body.

Transporting stations are known in which the fish are transported in alying position transverse to their longitudinal extent. In other words,during transport the fish lie on the transport element in the back orside position. U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,697 describes such a transportingstation in which the fish lie on their side on the flank of theirbodies. This type of transport is easy to handle as the fish can bepositioned on the transport element manually or automatically. However,due to the side position of the fish, the axis of symmetry/plane ofsymmetry (referred to in the following as the axis of symmetry) of thefish shifts. In other words, in the said position, the fish are notlying symmetrically on the transport element. In this case, the axis ofsymmetry describes the exact central position of each fish.

If a cutting tool, for example a pair of knives for performing a V-cutfor heading the fish, now engages in the fish lying horizontally andasymmetrically, the two sides of the fish are cut unevenly. Due to the“skew position” of the fish, the knife pair cannot separate the headfrom the body without yield loss. This effect occurs particularly whenslaughtered fish with opened abdominal cavities are transported lying onthe flank of their bodies, i.e. on the side and abdomen- or spine-first.Processing of fish lying on their sides, in particular heading of thefish, is also a disadvantage for another reason. The uneven weightdistribution in relation to the axis of symmetry between the two halvesof the body of the fish can lead to an inadequate cutting result due tothe undefined position of the fish. Orientation of the horizontal fishinto a defined position in relation to the axis of symmetry cannot beachieved or can only be achieved with considerable technical effort dueto product-dependent and/or quality-dependent and/or physical factors.For example, the fish species is mentioned as a product-dependentfactor, the condition before or after rigor mortis as aquality-dependent factor and the dimension of the fish, for example, asa physical factor.

Transporting stations in which the fish are transported suspendedtransverse to their longitudinal extent are known, for example, from DE1 927 916. This document discloses a transporting station in which thefish are suspended manually on the transport element underneath theirpectoral fins such that the fish can be fed to the or each processingstation in the suspended position with the head pointing upwards. Thus,the cutting and yield result depend significantly from the precisionwith which the operator suspends the fish. For heading of the fish, ithas to be turned again manually about its longitudinal axis into thecorrect cutting position. Manual loading of such transporting stationswith fish on the one hand, and manual orientation of the fish for theheading cut on the other hand, lead to undefined orientation of the fishon the one hand and to high physical stress of the operators on theother hand. In addition, the automation of such work steps on the onehand, and fixing of the fish in the suspended position on the otherhand, requires a considerable effort in terms of design. Suchtransporting stations therefore have various disadvantages which is whytransporting stations with suspended transport of the fish, headupwards, have not prevailed over transport in a lying position despitethe improved symmetrical position of the fish which is improved bycomparison.

As already mentioned, transportation of the fish and their symmetricalorientation during transport are extremely important for processing ofthe fish. All the solutions known from prior art have problemsconcerning symmetrical orientation of the fish with the result thatyield losses occur during processing of the fish.

Thus, the object of the invention is to propose a structurally simpletransporting station and a method which ensures yield-efficient andquality-independent processing of the fish. The object further consistsof proposing a corresponding fish processing machine.

This object is achieved by a transporting station having the featuresreferred to hereinbefore in that the conveying device is assigned achange-over device which is designed and configured and is in operativeconnection with the conveying device, in such a manner that the fish canbe transferred automatically from the lying position on the transportpath T_(L) of the conveying device into a suspended position on atransport path T_(H) of the change-over device. Due to the automaticallyexecutable position change of the fish, namely taking the lying fishfrom transport path T_(L) and transferring them to the suspendedposition on transport path T_(H), after the transfer each fish istransported, independently of its qualitative condition, in a definedand above all symmetrical position, such that subsequent processingsteps can be performed with high precision on the one hand, andreproducibly as well as yield-efficiently on the other hand. Theadvantages of known transporting stations, namely the ease of handlingand simple structural design of horizontal transport transverse to thelongitudinal extent on the one hand, and optimised centering of the fishduring suspended transport transverse to the longitudinal extent on theother hand, are achieved by means of the embodiment according to theinvention. This creates the basis for particularly yield-efficientprocessing of the fish.

An especially preferred embodiment is characterised in that thechange-over device comprises a suspended conveying device, arrangedabove the conveying device for horizontal transport of the fish, fortransporting the fish suspended along a transport path T_(H) and meansfor transferring the fish, namely for removing the fish from theconveying device for transport of the fish in a lying position and forholding the fish during suspended transport along the transport pathT_(H). This creates a structurally simple transporting station whichcombines ease of handling in conjunction with transport of the fish in alying position and precise orientation of the fish in conjunction withsuspended transport.

Advantageously, the suspended conveying device extends beyond theconveying device in transport direction T, wherein the change-over areafor the fish from the conveying device to the suspended conveying deviceis formed in the overlapping region of conveying device and suspendedconveying device in transport direction T upstream of the exit region Aof the conveying device. In other words, the suspended conveying devicestarts above the conveying device such that the fish are located atleast temporarily between the lower conveying element and the suspendedconveying device situated above it. Transfer of the fish from theconveying device to the suspended conveying device can reliably takeplace in this change-over area. However, since the suspended conveyingdevice extends beyond the conveying device in transport direction T, thetransport path T_(H) accordingly leads beyond the transport path T_(L),a free space arises in transport direction T downstream of the conveyingdevice below the suspended conveying device into which the fishsuspended on the suspended conveying device can pivot in order toorientate themselves symmetrically.

A preferred development is characterised in that the suspended conveyingdevice comprises a rotationally driven transport element, on which themeans for removing and holding the fish is arranged, wherein the meanscomprises at least one gripping means for gripping the head of a fish.Due to the rotational transport elements of the suspended conveyingdevice, the gripping means regularly passes through the change-over areasuch that the fish transported into the change-over area by theconveying device can be removed from said conveying device. Thesuspended conveying device and the conveying device come into operativeconnection with each other in the change-over area due to the means forremoving and holding the fish. In other words, the conveying device andthe suspended conveying device act together in the change-over area inthat the conveying device then provides the fish in synchronisation whenthe means for removing and holding passes through the change-over area.The fact that the fish is gripped by the head ensures particularlystable and precise orientation of the fish in the symmetrical position.

Advantageously, the transport element of the suspended conveying deviceis a transport chain rotationally driven about a deflecting and/or drivebody, whose central and/or rotational axes R₁ are oriented horizontaland transverse to the transport direction T, in such a manner that themeans for removing and holding the fish is moved in a vertical planeE_(V) and has the smallest distance to the transport element of theconveying device in the change-over area. The transport chain is guidedabout at least two deflecting and/or drive bodies, wherein onedeflecting and/or drive body is arranged above the conveying device andthe other deflecting and/or drive body is arranged downstream of theconveying device in transport direction T. Due to the deflecting and/ordrive body arranged above the conveying device, the means for grippingin the vertical plane E_(V) descends from above in the direction of theconveying device at the beginning of the change-over area such that acollision with the fish being fed in horizontally in the transport planeE_(H) is prevented.

An advantageous embodiment is characterised in that the means forremoving and holding the fish comprises a plurality of gripping meansrotating with the transport element of the suspended conveying device,wherein each gripping means has two gripping elements, of which at leastone gripping element is provided with at least one spike directedtowards the fish to be gripped. Due to the gripping elements on the onehand and the at least one spike on the other hand, a positive and rigidconnection can be established to the fish head in a simple and effectivemanner such that the fish can be held safely and stably in the pick-upposition.

Expediently, a first gripping element comprises a gripping arm with atorsionally fixed and rigid spike body arranged on the free end and thesecond gripping element comprises a gripping arm with a rotatablysupported spike body arranged on the free end, wherein the gripping armsare designed and configured to be movable automatically towards eachother into a holding position and away from each other into a releaseposition and vice versa in the vertical plane E_(V) and in thehorizontal position the central and/or rotational axes M of the spikebodies are oriented horizontally and parallel to the transport directionT. The two spike bodies directed towards each other at the end of themovable gripping arms form a kind of pincers, by means of which eachfish can be safely picked up and held. Due to the fact that at least onespike body is rotatably supported, on leaving the conveying device thefish can swing or pivot from the horizontal position into a verticalposition in a simple manner. The ability of the gripping arms to movetowards each other and away from each other enables a fish to bereliably picked up between the gripping arms and the spike bodiesarranged thereon by pivoting them apart and enables the fish to bereliably fixed by pivoting them together. Finally, the fish “thread”from below into the open gripping arms in the change-over area so as tothen be held in a defined position due to closing of the gripping arms.The central and/or rotational axes oriented horizontally and parallel tothe transport direction T in the holding position ensure that the fishis located in a symmetrical position when suspended on the suspendedconveying device.

A preferred development is characterised in that a first spike body ofthe first gripping element has a spike completely penetrating the headof a fish, said spike entering the second spike body in the holdingposition, which is why the second spike body of the second grippingelement has an opening for receiving the spike of the first spike body,wherein at least two spikes penetrating the head are arranged around theopening of the second spike body. Due to this design, the gripping meanshas a secure hold of the fish such that even fish with a high weight arereliably and accurately held in position, particularly when swingingdown after leaving the conveying device.

Advantageously, in the holding position, the only and central spike ofthe first spike body forms the pivot axis S oriented horizontally andparallel to the transport direction T for each fish such that the fish,after swinging into the suspended position, can stabilise in thesymmetrical position.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that thetransport element is designed and configured for lying transport of thefish abdomen- or spine-first in transport direction T and comprises aconveyor belt which has webs running transverse to the transportdirection T and extending perpendicular to the transport plane E_(H) androtating with the conveyor belt for subdividing said conveyor belt intoindividual sections for each receiving a single fish, wherein the websonly extend in each case over part of the width of the conveyor belt.These webs, which are also called cleats, form a stop for the fish ontheir ventral side or preferably on the dorsal side when they are placedon the conveyor belt such that in the latter case the fish aretransported with the spine abutting the web and abdomen-first. As thewebs only extend across a portion of the width of the conveyor belt, theweb is preferably recessed in the head region of the fish, thus endingwith a gap from the side edge of the conveyor belt on which the head ofthe fish is placed, space is provided for engagement of the grippingmeans. In other words, a free corridor is created in the edge region ofthe conveyor belt which ensures collision-free gripping of the fish.

Especially preferably, on at least one side in transport direction T, afixed abutment element for positioning each fish in its longitudinalorientation transverse to the transport direction T is assigned to theconveyor belt, wherein the abutment element is designed and configuredfor positioning the fish head in a defined position. This abutmentelement limits the conveyor belt laterally, that is on the side on whichthe fish lie with their head. On being placed onto the conveyor belt,the fish strike against the abutment element with the foremost tip ofthe mouth such that the fish lie with their head in the corridor formedbetween the webs and the abutment element.

In an advantageous development, the conveyor belt, which is formed froman upper run as transport run and a lower run as return run, is guidedabout at least three deflecting and/or drive bodies, whose centraland/or rotational axes R₂ are oriented horizontal and transverse to thetransport direction T, and in the region of the upper run said conveyorbelt has a first section I which spans a transport plane E_(H1) and asecond section II following in transport direction T which spans atransport plane E_(H2), wherein the transport plane E_(H2) is situatedabove the transport plane E_(H1) such that the fish are transported bythe conveyor belt on an incline from the transport plane E_(H1) to thetransport plane E_(H2) via a connecting section III. In other words, thetransport run, on which the fish lie during transport, is initiallyoriented horizontally in the transport plane E_(H1) from the entryregion E to the exit region A, then inclined in transport direction Tand subsequently runs horizontally again in the transport plane E_(H2).The region in which the transport run passes from the rising connectingsection into the section of the transport plane E_(H2), is locatedvertically below the deflecting and/or drive body of the suspendedconveying device. This embodiment significantly simplifies “threading”of the fish in between the gripping elements. The gripping elementscoming from above from the vertical plane E_(V) meet the fishtransported obliquely from bottom to top with open gripping arms. In theregion of the smallest gap between the gripping means and the transportrun at the beginning of the change-over area, the fish is thenpositioned precisely between both spike bodies of the gripping element.This ensures safe and collision-free positioning of the fish in thechange-over area.

In an especially preferred development, the conveyor belt is designed tobe height-adjustable at least in the change-over area. In other words,the section of the transport run forming the transport plane E_(H2) isadjustable in height. This makes it possible to vary the distancebetween the transport run and the gripping means, thus also the distancebetween fish head and gripping means, in order to always ensure that thefish is gripped in the region of the axis of symmetry, regardless of thethickness of the fish head. In other words, each fish can be grippedindividually in its axis of symmetry which leads to an optimallyoriented suspended position. In addition to the height compensation forfish of different sizes, the height adjustment also ensures compensationfor the inclination of the axis of symmetry, which arises depending thebody due to the lateral position of the fish on the transport run.

An embodiment which is characterised in that the section of the conveyorbelt spanning the transport plane E_(H2) is designed to be pivotable bymeans of a drive about a pivot axis C, which is oriented horizontal andtransverse to the transport direction T, has proven to be particularlyadvantageous. By pivoting about the pivot axis C, which preferably liesin the region of the transition from the connecting section of thetransport run on which the section of the transport run spanning thetransport plane E_(H2) lies and particularly preferably corresponds tothe central and/or rotational axis R₂ of a deflecting and/or drive bodyfor the transport chain, even small pivoting movements of a few degreeslead to the desired compensation effect in respect of the distancebetween the transport run and the gripping means.

A preferred development is characterised in that the transportingstation comprises a measuring means for recording and/or determiningfish-size-relevant data, in particular for determining the thickness ofthe head perpendicular to the transport plane E_(H) and the width of thehead in the transport plane E_(H) in transport direction T, wherein themeasuring means is arranged upstream of the change-over area intransport direction T. The measuring means is designed and configured,on the one hand, to detect the height of the head starting from thesupport surface up to the highest point of the head, in order todetermine the axis of symmetry therefrom. On the other hand, themeasuring means is designed and configured to detect the width of thehead, that is the distance from the underside of the lower jaw up to theupper side of the upper jaw. Optionally, the distance from the undersideof the lower jaw up to the web on which the fish rests with its spinecan also be detected. This makes it possible to precisely controlgripping of the fish in its relevant axis of symmetry.

Expediently, the measuring means is arranged fixedly above the conveyingdevice and comprises a measuring vane which is designed and arranged fordeflection by the fish head. More precisely, the measuring means isarranged above the section of the transport run spanning the transportplane E_(H1). Due to the position of the fish head on the abutmentelement, transport of the fish abdomen-first in transport direction Tand the distance between the webs of the conveyor belt and the abutmentelement, the measuring vane inevitably meets the fish collision-free inthe corridor and can thus perform the necessary measuring steps in asafe and easy manner and supply the information obtained.

Advantageously, in the region of the measuring means, namely directlybelow the measuring means, arranged on the abutment element is a fixedtake-up element which is designed and configured to take up the fishwith its head, in such a manner that the upper sliding surface of thetake-up element directed towards the measuring means, which is orientedparallel to the transport plane E_(H1), forms the reference plane forthe measuring means when determining the thickness of the fish head andspecifying the position of the axis of symmetry of the fish head. Thetake-up element, which is located above the conveyor belt such that theconveyor belt can be moved through underneath the take-up element, has aramp-like slope inclined in transport direction T which merges into thehorizontal sliding surface. The free/hollow space underneath the fishhead can be filled in by the take-up element such that the fish head islocated below the measuring means with an axis of symmetry oriented ashorizontally as possible. In addition, a take-up element can compensateirregularities with regard to the position of the head, due, forexample, to the fish being placed incorrectly or inaccurately, due tothe origin of the fish, the size of the fish, the manner of killing, thetype of intermediate storage or other factors.

Especially preferably, a take-up element, which is designed andconfigured to take up the fish with its head, is also arranged fixedlyon the abutment element in the change-over area, wherein the two take-upelements are identically designed in respect of their height startingfrom the surface of the conveyor belt up to the upper sliding surface ofthe take-up element, such that the position of the axis of symmetry ofthe fish head determined by the measuring means is reproducible in thechange-over area when combined with the height adjustment of theconveyor belt. Thus, in the region of the gripping means, which isarranged above the change-over area or is positioned for gripping, thesame circumstances or boundary conditions are created with regard topositioning as at the measuring means. In other words, the take-upelement in the change-over area makes it possible when gripping to bringthe fish into the optimum gripping position in relation to the grippingmeans, in order to achieve optimum orientation of the fish so that saidgripping means can engage in the position of the axis of symmetrydetermined by the measuring means.

In an especially advantageous development, the transporting stationcomprises a control device, wherein the or each drive for the conveyorbelt of the conveying device and/or the or each drive for the heightadjustment of the conveyor belt of the conveying device and/or themeasuring means are connected to the control device. Using the controldevice and the connection of said components, the fish can betransported automatically and precisely into the optimum grippingposition in that the fish is measured individually and, based on themeasured values, the transport speed of the fish on the conveyor beltand the height adjustment in the change-over area of the transport runare controllable. The controller of the drives for the conveyor belt ofthe conveying device can be used to vary the transport speed, e.g. toprevent the webs of the conveyor belt from colliding with the fish inthe tilting region. Speed adjustment of the conveyor belt also plays animportant role in positioning the fish head below the gripping means.The conveying speed can be adjusted as a function of the width of thefish head to ensure that the spike body, which is rotatably supported,first engages on the fish head in order to form a counter bearing forthe rigid spike body which penetrates the fish head completely. This caneffectively prevent the head from twisting on being gripped.

Advantageously, the distance of the measuring means from the abutmentelement transverse to the transport direction T, i.e. the measuringpoint, corresponds to the distance from the central and/or rotationalaxes M of the spike bodies in the holding position to the abutmentelement transverse to the transport direction T. In other words, thedistance a between the foremost tip of the fish mouth resting on theabutment element and the central contact point of the measuring vane isequal to the distance b between the foremost tip of the fish mouthresting on the abutment element and the meeting point of the rigid spikebody having the one central spike.

An expedient development provides that an impact element, directedsubstantially vertically downwards from the transport plane E_(H2),whose impact surface is oriented in the direction of the suspended fish,is arranged in transport direction T, downstream of the conveying devicefor horizontal transport of the fish and alongside the transport pathT_(H) of the suspended conveying device. The impact element absorbs theenergy of the fish swinging downwards to support and in particular toaccelerate stabilisation of the swinging fish in order to settle thefish in its suspended position.

The object is also achieved by a fish processing machine having thefeatures referred to hereinbefore in that the transporting station isdesigned and configured according to one or more of claims 1 to 21,wherein the or each fish processing station is arranged in the region ofthe suspended position of the fish. The advantages arising from thishave already been described in connection with the transporting station,which is why reference will be made to the relevant passages to avoidrepetitions. It is crucial that the fish are in the suspended positionbefore reaching the first fish processing station to ensure optimisedorientation of the fish, particularly in respect of their axis ofsymmetry, because in this position the relevant processing steps can beperformed with the necessary precision on the one hand, and maximumyield on the other hand.

The fish processing machine is preferably designed and configured forheading unslaughtered and/or slaughtered fish with opened abdominalcavities, in that a fish processing station along the transport pathT_(H) of the suspended conveying device is designed and configured as aheading apparatus. The symmetrical position of the fish is veryimportant particularly during heading. Every fish can be headedyield-efficiently due to the embodiment according to the invention.

An especially preferred embodiment is characterised in that the headingapparatus comprises a separating device for separating the body of fishsuspended by the head, wherein the separating device comprises a pair ofrotatably drivable circular knives and the circular knives are arrangedin a V-shape to each other on opposing sides of the transport pathT_(H). Due to the position of the suspended fish on the one hand and thearrangement of the circular knife pair on the other hand, the headingcut can be performed in a particularly efficient manner, i.e. with theleast possible loss of flesh. In other words, the circular knives can beguided accurately positioned and symmetrically into the fish such thatthe fish head is almost free of flesh. In other words, the maximumamount of flesh remains on the body, in particular also the neck fleshand the flesh in the area of the collar bones.

Expediently, a measuring means for detecting and/or determining theposition of the collar bones of each suspended fish is arranged intransport direction T downstream of the conveying device and upstream ofthe heading apparatus in the transport path T_(H) of the suspendedconveying device. Guidance of the circular knives can be even moreprecise with this additional measuring means, since the exact positionat which the circular knives enter is known.

Preferably, a means for capturing the pectoral fins is arranged intransport direction T downstream of the conveying device for horizontaltransport of the fish and upstream of the heading apparatus in thetransport path T_(H) of the suspended conveying device. With thisembodiment, every fish can be fed to the circular knives in the optimumorientation for separating the head from the body.

The object is also achieved by a method having the steps referred tohereinbefore in that the fish are transferred automatically from thelying position to a suspended position by means of the change-overdevice, in that the fish are gripped by the conveying device using thechange-over device along the transport path T_(L) and are brought intothe suspended position while being transported along a transport pathT_(H). This method combines, in a particularly simple and effectivemanner, the advantages of transport in a lying position, especially wheninserting and orienting the fish, with the advantages of suspendedtransport, especially when symmetrically positioning and providing themfor actual processing.

The advantages arising from the individual process steps for the methodaccording to the invention have already been explained in connectionwith the transporting station and the fish processing machine, which iswhy reference will be made to the relevant passages to avoidrepetitions.

Preferably, the fish is transported abdomen-first in transport directionT, with the spine on webs extending transverse to the transportdirection T of a conveyor belt of the transport element and with thehead resting on an abutment element assigned to the conveyor belt,wherein fish-size-relevant data, in particular the thickness of the headperpendicular to the transport plane E_(H) spanned by the conveyor beltand/or the width of the head in the transport plane E_(H) in transportdirection T are recorded and/or determined in a section I of theconveyor belt by a measuring means. With these process steps, the fishinserted manually or automatically is brought into a defined position inwhich the necessary data for the fish can then be excluded. Instead ofthe S width of the head, the distance from the underside of the lowerjaw of the fish transported abdomen-first to the web on which the fishrests with its spine can also be determined. Alternatively, the fish canalso be transported spine-first such that the fish rests with theabdomen on the web.

In a preferred development, the position of the axis of symmetry of thehead is determined based on the thickness of the head. Determining thecentral axis of the head creates the requirement for gripping the fishsuch that it is oriented precisely symmetrically in the suspendedposition, as a result of which subsequent processing can be performedparticularly yield-efficiently.

Advantageously, the fish is fed in a section II of the conveyor belt toa gripping means which grips the fish by the head, wherein the positionof the head perpendicular to the gripping means is adjusted by a heightadjustment of the section II of the conveyor belt as a function of thedata recorded and/or determined by the measuring means, such that in theregion of the gripping means the fish head is located in the same planeas in the region of the measuring means. Due to the height adjustment,every fish regardless of its size is moved into the optimum grippingposition which was previously recorded and/or determined by themeasuring means.

An advantageous development of the method provides that for gripping thefish head by the lower jaw on the ventral side and by the upper jaw onthe dorsal side, one spike body in each case penetrates the fish head bymoving the two gripping arms of the gripping means bearing the spikebodies from a release position to a holding position. Bilateralpenetration of the spike bodies provides a secure hold so that the fishcan be transported further in the optimum orientation.

Preferably, each gripping means is transported along a suspendedconveying device of the change-over device in a plane E_(V), which isoriented perpendicular to the transport plane E_(H), beyond thetransport path T_(L) of the conveying device along the transport pathT_(H) such that the fish gripped by the head pivot into the suspendedposition after leaving the conveying device. The fish are initially fedin in the horizontal position in order to optimise the orientation. Thefish are gripped in the optimum orientation while still lying flat. Bytransporting the fish, suspended by the head, beyond the conveyingdevice along the transport path T_(H), which represents a simpleelongation of the transport path T_(L), the fish are deprived of theirbase so to speak, such that the freely suspended fish can then swing toa stop. This ensures particularly simple and reliable transfer of thefish.

Especially preferably, during transportation along the transport pathT_(L) from section I to section II of the conveyor belt, the fish arepositioned from below between the gripping arms located in the releaseposition, said gripping arms being moved from above in the verticalplane E_(V) in the direction of the conveyor belt. Feeding in can alsotake place purely horizontally. However, in the preferred manner, thefish can be “threaded” between the open gripping arms in the releaseposition particularly easily and collision-free from below. In thechange-over area of section II, the gripping arms coming from above intheir open position thus meet the fish being fed in from below such thatthey can be positioned easily and precisely between the gripping armswhich are then movable along the transport path T_(H).

For this purpose, the gripping arms are preferably moved towards eachother in the vertical plane E_(V) such that a rigid spike body with asingle spike completely penetrates through the head of the fish from thedorsal side, while a second, rotatably supported spike body with atleast two spikes penetrates into the head from the ventral side. Whilethe spike body supports the fish head from the ventral side as a counterbearing so to speak, the spike body with its single penetratescompletely through the head from the dorsal side such that the fish isfixed particularly securely. A particular advantage consists in that thespike penetrating completely forms the rotational axis for the fish whenswinging down, wherein swinging down is supported by the rotatable spikebody.

It has proven particularly advantageous for the transport speed of theconveyor belt to be varied dependent on the recorded and/or determineddata, in particular the width of the head in the transport plane E_(H)in transport direction T, when a fish is located in the region of thegripping means in such a way that the rotatable spike body with the atleast two spikes meets the fish head at the same time as orchronologically before the rigid spike body. The fish all have adifferent width head or a different distance between the underside ofthe lower jaw and the web on which they rest. In order to always meetthe optimum gripping point and/or to prevent displacement of the fish,due in particular to the rigid spike body prematurely striking thesingle rigid spike of the gripping means on the fish head, regardless ofthis position and/or size, the transport speed is reduced if necessaryimmediately prior to gripping so as to be accelerated back to theoriginal transport speed immediately after gripping.

Advantageously, the transport speed of the conveyor belt is varied whena fish is located in the exit region B of the conveying device in such away that the conveyor belt or the webs arranged thereon are preventedfrom colliding with the swinging fish, wherein the changes in thetransport speed are coordinated with each other on gripping of the fishon the one hand, and on swinging of the fish on the other hand, by thepartitioning of the conveyor belt. When the fish swings down, there is arisk that the fish still lying just on the conveyor belt will becontacted by the continuing conveyor belt and particularly by theupright web on which the fish has lain. To prevent this, the speed ofthe conveyor belt is briefly reduced so that a collision is precluded.The partitioning of the conveyor belt, i.e. the spacing of the webs andtherefore of the fish on the conveyor belt, is selected such that aspeed adjustment in one area does not affect the other area. Instead ofreducing the transport speed of the conveyor belt of the conveyingdevice, the suspended conveying device can also be acceleratedaccordingly.

Especially preferably, the fish run with their fish head onto a take-upelement for recording and/or determining the fish-size-relevant data insuch a way that the fish head is raised in relation to the transportplane E_(H). As a result of the fish head running onto the take-upelement, on the one hand the free space underneath the fish head isfilled up and on the other hand the fish head is held in a definedposition, which supports precise recording and/or determination of therelevant sizes.

Accordingly, the fish in the region of the gripping means also run ontoa corresponding take-up element such that the fish lie with their headin the same plane in the region of the gripping means as in the regionof the measuring means.

The method can be performed particularly suitably with a transportingstation according to one of claims 1 to 21. The fish processing machineaccording to one of claims 22 to 26 is suitable particularly for theheading of fish.

Further expedient and/or advantageous features and developments as wellas preferred process steps emerge from the dependent claims and thedescription. Especially preferred embodiments of the transportingstation and the fish processing machine in addition to the method areexplained in greater detail with reference to the attached drawing. Thedrawing shows:

FIG. 1 a schematic representation of a first embodiment of thetransporting station according to the invention in front view,

FIG. 2 a schematic and simplified representation of a further embodimentof the transporting station according to the invention in front view,

FIG. 3 a schematic representation of the transporting station accordingto FIG. 1 in a view from above,

FIG. 4 a schematic representation of the transporting station accordingto FIG. 1 in lateral view (viewed in transport direction T),

FIG. 5 a simplified representation of section I of the conveyor beltwith measuring means,

FIG. 6 a perspective view of the transporting station and in particularof section II of the conveyor belt with the height adjustment of theconveyor belt,

FIG. 7 an enlarged representation of the gripping means in releaseposition,

FIG. 8 an enlarged representation of the gripping means in holdingposition,

FIG. 9 a schematic enlarged representation of the take-up elements,

FIG. 10a schematic representation of a fish processing machine with thefirst embodiment of the transporting station according to the inventionin front view.

The transporting station illustrated in the drawing is used for changingthe position of slaughtered salmon with opened abdominal cavities duringtransport abdomen-first in transport direction T from a horizontal to asuspended position. Of course, the transporting station according to theinvention is also designed and configured for transferring the fishwhich are transported horizontally spine-first. The invention alsorelates in the same way to transporting stations with which othersalmonidae and fish in general, whether slaughtered or unslaughtered,can be brought from a horizontal position into a suspended position.

The transporting station 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is designed andconfigured for transporting fish transverse to their longitudinal extentin a transport direction T, and comprises a conveying device 11 fortransporting individual, separated fish in a lying position along atransport path T_(L) from an entry region E of the conveying device 11to an exit region A of the conveying device 11, wherein the conveyingdevice 11 comprises a rotationally driven transport element 12. Asmentioned, lying transport of the fish may take place abdomen- orspine-first. The fish or a plurality of fish can lie together on thetransport element, though singly and spaced apart.

This transporting station 10 is characterised according to the inventionin that the conveying device 11 is assigned a change-over device 13which is designed and configured and is in operative connection with theconveying device 11, in such a manner that the fish can be transferredautomatically from the horizontal position on the transport path T_(L)of the conveying device 11 into a suspended position on a transport pathT_(H) of the change-over device 13. The operative connection describesthe interaction between the conveying device 11 for horizontally feedingthe fish and the change-over device 13 for transferring the fish fromthe lying to the suspended position, in such a manner that thearrangement and assignment of conveying device 11 and change-over device13 to each other guarantees collision-free contact of the change-overdevice 13 with the fish in order to then be able to grip them and bringthem into the vertical position.

When taken on their own or in combination with each other, the featuresand developments as well as the process steps described below illustratepreferred embodiments. It is expressly pointed out that features andprocess steps which are summarised in the claims and/or the descriptionand/or the drawing or are described in a common embodiment can alsofurther develop the transporting station 10 described above as well asthe method described below in a functionally independent manner.

The transport element 12 can be a rotationally driven conveyor belt or atransport chain on which the fish lie separately and with their headdirected to a side edge of the transport element 12 such that the fishcan be transported transverse to their longitudinal extent, preferablyabdomen first, in transport direction T. The transport element 12 isassociated with at least one drive, not explicitly shown, forrotationally driving the continuous transport element 12, wherein thetransport element 12 is intermittently or preferably continuouslydrivable and at variable speed. The conveying device 11 for transport ofthe fish in a lying position and the change-over device 13 fortransferring the fish from the lying position to the suspended positionare arranged in such a manner in relation to each other that there is atleast one region in which the conveying device 11 and the change-overdevice 13 can interact.

Optionally, the change-over device 13 comprises a suspended conveyingdevice 14, arranged above the conveying device 11 for transport of thefish in a lying position, for transporting the fish suspended along atransport path T_(H) and means 15 for transferring the fish, namely forremoving the fish from the conveying device 11 for transport of the fishin a lying position and for holding the fish during suspended transportalong the transport path T_(H). In other words, the suspended conveyingdevice 14 is arranged spaced apart from the transport plane E_(H) of theconveying device 11 vertically upwards such that the means 15 fortransferring the fish, which is associated with the suspended conveyingdevice 14, can be moved along collision-free above the conveying device11 for transferring the fish.

The suspended conveying device 14 and the conveying device 11 form anoverlapping region for transferring the fish, i.e. a region in which thesuspended conveying device 14 and the conveying device 11 are arrangedone above the other and parallel to each other. The free space of theconveying device 11 is limited upwards so to speak by the suspendedconveying device 14. Preferably, however, the suspended conveying device14 starts at a distance from the entry region E of the conveying device11, viewed in the transport direction T. In other words, an area abovethe entry region E of the conveying device 11 is free. Starting at adistance from the entry region E of the conveying device 11, thesuspended conveying device 14 extends at least up to the exit region Aof the conveying device 11. The suspended conveying device 14 preferablyextends beyond the conveying device 11 in transport direction T, whereinthe change-over area for the fish from the conveying device 11 to thesuspended conveying device 14 is formed in the overlapping region of theconveying device 11 and the suspended conveying device 14 in transportdirection T upstream of the exit region A of the conveying device 11.The transport path coincides in the change-over area with the transportpath T_(H) and continues said path linearly in transport direction T.Downstream of the exit region A of the conveying device 11, the areaunderneath the suspended conveying device 14 is free.

The suspended conveying device 14 preferably comprises a rotationallydriven transport element 16 on which the means 15 for removing andholding the fish is arranged. The transport element 16 is associatedwith at least one drive, not shown, for rotationally driving thecontinuous transport element 16, wherein the transport element 16 isintermittently or preferably continuously drivable and at variablespeed. The transport element 16 may be a transport belt, a conveyor beltor the like. The transport element 16 is preferably designed as a singleor double transport chain and is guided about deflecting and/or drivebody 17. In an advantageous embodiment, two deflecting and/or drivebodies 17, for example in the form of rollers, gear wheels or the like,are provided. The central and/or rotational axes R₁ of the deflectingand/or drive bodies 17 are oriented horizontal and transverse to thetransport direction T. The means 15 for removing and holding the fish isthereby moved in a vertical plane E_(V). In other words, the means 15for removing and holding the fish hangs down as a transport run on alower run 18 of the transport element 16 in the direction of theconveying device 11, while it stands upright as a return run on an upperrun 19 of the transport element 16. In the region of the deflectingand/or drive bodies 17, the means 15 follows the radius of thedeflecting and/or drive bodies 17 and at the beginning of thechange-over area moves towards the conveying device 11 at the enddirected towards the entry region E of the conveying device 11 and atthe opposing end upwards. In the change-over area, the means 15 has thesmallest distance from the transport element 12 of the conveying device11.

The means 15 for removing and holding the fish comprises a plurality ofgripping means 20 rotating with the transport element 16 of thesuspended conveying device 14, wherein each gripping means 20 has twogripping elements 21, 22, of which at least one gripping element 21 or22 is provided with at least one spike 23, 29 directed towards the fishto be gripped. The gripping elements 21, 22 form a pincer-like tool. Forthis purpose, a first gripping element 21 comprises a gripping arm 24with a torsionally fixed and rigid spike body 25 arranged on the freeend and the second gripping element 22 comprises a gripping arm 26 witha rotatably supported spike body 27 arranged on the free end. The twogripping arms 24, 26 are designed and configured to be movableautomatically towards each other into a holding position and away fromeach other into a release position and vice versa in the vertical planeE_(V). In this case, the central and/or rotational axes M of the spikebodies 25, 27 are oriented horizontally and parallel to the transportdirection T in the holding position. The gripping elements 21, 22 areeach L-shaped. Each gripping arm 24, 26 forms the long leg of the Ls,while the spike bodies 25, 27 form the short leg. The spike bodies 25,27 are arranged in the plane E_(V) and are directed towards each other.

The gripping arms 24, 26 are associated with at least one drive and/oractuating mechanism, not explicitly shown, for performing the pivotingmovement. Both gripping arms 24, 26 may also be associated with a commondrive and/or actuating mechanism. However, the two gripping arms 24, 26are preferably individually controllable, for example by means of apneumatic cylinder or the like. The drives and/or actuating mechanismsfor gripping arms 24, 26 are preferably controllable, i.e. in particularwith regard to the speed of the pivoting movement on the one hand andthe degree/angle for opening and closing the gripping arms in respect ofeach other on the other hand. The pivoting movement can also becam-controlled. Instead of the clamping mechanism formed by the grippingarms 24, 26, other gripping means 20, for example in the form ofclamping jaws or the like, can also be used. A plurality of grippingmeans 20 are preferably evenly distributed, i.e. at an equal distancefrom each other, along the transport chain. Each of these gripping means20 passes through the change-over area when being rotationally driven bythe transport chain. There is also the possibility that the grippingmeans comprises a rigid arm as the counter bearing for a movablegripping arm.

In a preferred embodiment, a first spike body 25 of the first grippingelement 21 has a spike 23 completely penetrating the head of a fish,said spike entering the second spike body 27 in the holding position,which is why the second spike body 27 of the second gripping element 22has an opening 28 for receiving the spike 23 of the first spike body 25,wherein at least two spikes 29 penetrating the head are arranged aroundthe opening 28 of the second spike body 27. The second spike body 27 canalso have three or more spikes 29 arranged concentrically around theopening 28. In the transporting station 10 illustrated, the first spikebody 25 is provided with a single spike 23 and is rigidly designed. Thesecond spike body 27 is designed as a rotating sleeve, in such a mannerthat the rotating sleeve is rotatably mounted on an axle. The grippingarm 24 with the rigid spike body 25 can be optionally assigned to thegripping means 22 engaging on the ventral side (on the lower jaw) orpreferably to the gripping means 21 engaging on the dorsal side (upperjaw). The same applies to the gripping arm 26. In further embodiments,the spike bodies 25 and 27 can also have a different configuration.

The spike 23 of the rigid spike body 25 is preferably designed as a kindof hollow drill. The spikes 29 of the rotatable spike body 27 aredesigned as a type of thorns. However, all spikes 23, 29 can also haveother shapes and configurations. The number and arrangement of thespikes 23, 29 can also vary. In developments that are not illustrated,there is also the possibility of providing two rotatably supported spikebodies each with at least two spikes or two rigid spike bodies each withone spike. The spikes 23, 29 can also have a length such that they allonly penetrate into the head but do not penetrate through it. Instead ofthe spike bodies 25, 27, other fixing means can also be provided forclamping, skewering or the like.

Preferably, in the embodiment illustrated, in the holding position, theonly and central spike 23 of the first and rigid spike body 25 forms thepivot axis S oriented horizontally and parallel to the transportdirection T for each fish, such that the fixed fish swings downwards onleaving the transport element 12 of the conveying device 11. Therotatable mounting of the second spike body 27 supports this process,wherein the spike 23 of the first, rigid spike body 25 acts as an axisof rotation.

In further embodiments, the suspended conveying device 14 can also bedesigned as a so-called carousel conveyor (see FIG. 2 for example). Thismeans that the transport element 16 with the means 15 arranged thereonfor removing and holding the fish can be moved in a horizontal plane.The central and/or rotational axes R₁ of the deflecting and/or drivebodies 17 are then oriented vertically (see FIG. 2 for example).

The transport element 12 of the conveying device 11 is designed andconfigured for transport of the fish in a lying position abdomen- orspine-first in transport direction T and comprises a conveyor belt 30which has webs 31 running transverse to the transport direction T andextending perpendicular to the transport plane E_(H) and rotating withthe conveyor belt 30 for subdividing said conveyor belt 30 intoindividual sections for each receiving a single fish, wherein the webs31 only extend in each case over part of the width of the conveyor belt30. The webs 31 are permanently connected to the chain-like conveyorbelt 30 or are formed integrally with it and are arranged at least onone side of the conveyor belt 30, on which the head of the fish is to beplaced, spaced apart from the outer side edge of the conveyor belt 30.The webs 31 can also be otherwise interrupted and/or be designed on bothsides with a gap to the outer side edge of the conveyor belt 30. Thewebs 31, which are also referred to as cleats, form an abutment for theventral side or preferably dorsal side of the fish transverse to thetransport direction T.

Preferably, on at least one side in transport direction T, a fixedabutment element 32 for positioning each fish in its longitudinalorientation transverse to the transport direction T is assigned to theconveyor belt 30, wherein the abutment element 32 is designed andconfigured for positioning the fish head in a defined position. Theabutment element 32 can be a strip, for example, which can be mountedabove the conveyor belt 30 slidingly and preferably ccntactlessly on astationary frame/rack 33 of the transporting station 10, on which thesuspended conveying device 14 can also be arranged, such that theconveyor belt 30 can be moved along below the strip. The strip extendson one side along the conveyor belt 30 at least partially from the entryregion E up to the exit region A and forms the abutment surface for thehead of the fish such that, when inserted manually or automatically, thefish rest with the spine on a web 31 and with the front tip of the mouthon the abutment element 32. Thus, it is possible to place the fish onthe conveyor belt 30 in a defined position. Between the abutment element32 and the webs 31 oriented perpendicular thereto, there is a gap due tothe shortened design of the webs 31 transverse to the transportdirection T, such that on the side edge on which the abutment element 32is arranged, a kind of corridor is formed in which the head istransported from the entry region E to the exit region A.

The conveyor belt 30, which is formed from an upper run 34 as transportrun and a lower run 35 as return run, is guided about at least threedeflecting and/or drive bodies 36 whose central and/or rotational axesR₂ are oriented horizontal and transverse to the transport direction T.The upper run 34 can be continuously oriented horizontally to form thetransport plane E_(H). However, the upper run 34 is preferably designedto be stepped. The upper run 34 has a first section I which spans atransport plane E_(H1) and a second section II following in transportdirection T which spans a transport plane E_(H2), wherein the transportplane E_(H2) is located above the transport plane E_(H1) such that thefish are transported by the conveyor belt 30 on an incline from thetransport plane E_(H1) to the transport plane E_(H2) via a connectingsection III. Of the three deflecting and/or drive bodies 36, for exampledeflecting rollers or similar, one of the deflecting and/or drive bodies36 is arranged in the entry region E, another in the exit region B and athird between the outer deflecting and/or drive bodies 36 approximatelyin the region of the deflecting and/or drive body 17 of the suspendedconveying device 14 situated above the conveying device 11. In thetransition region of the conveyor belt 30 from the transport planeE_(H1) to the transport plane E_(H2), arranged at the beginning of theincline is a holding-down clamp 37 as a deflecting element by means ofwhich the conveyor belt 30 is held so to speak in a defined track. Theholding-down clamp 37 preferably only engages at the outer side edges ofthe conveyor belt 30 from above. The transport plane Erie also forms thechange-over area for the fish.

The conveyor belt 30 is optionally designed to be height-adjustable atleast in the change-over area. For this purpose, the section II of theconveyor belt 30 spanning the transport plane E_(H2) can be designed,for example, to be pivotable by means of a drive 40 about a pivot axis Cwhich is oriented horizontal and transverse to the transport directionT. The pivot axis C preferably coincides with the central and/orrotational axis R₂ of the central deflecting and/or drive body 36 of theconveyor belt 30 of the conveying device 11. A pivoting mechanism 38 isprovided for this purpose. In the embodiment illustrated, the pivotingmechanism 38 comprises a lifting rod 39 and the drive 40 for operatingsaid lifting rod 39. The lifting rod 39 engages in the exit region A ofthe transport element 12 such that the section H is pivotable up anddown about the pivot axis C in order to vary the distance from sectionII to the transport element 16 of the suspended conveying device 14 andtherefore to the gripping means 20.

In a preferred development, the transporting station 10 comprises atleast one measuring means 41 for recording and/or determiningfish-size-relevant data, in particular for determining the thickness ofthe head perpendicular to the transport plane E_(H) and the width of thehead in the transport plane E_(H) in transport direction T. In theexample illustrated, the measuring means is arranged upstream of thechange-over area in transport direction T. The measuring means 41 can bedesigned mechanically, electromechanically, electronically, opticallyand in any other manner which makes it possible to determine, detect,register or calculate the height of the head vertical to the transportplane E and/or the width of the head horizontally in transport directionT. The measuring means 41 is preferably arranged fixedly above theconveying device 11 and comprises a measuring vane 42 which is designedand arranged for deflection by the fish head. The measuring vane 42 isarranged transverse to the transport direction T with a gap to theabutment element 32. In other words, the measuring vane 42 protrudesinto the corridor formed between the abutment element 32 and the webs 31such that the measuring vane 42 is inevitably deflected by the fishtransported along the transport path T_(L). The information necessaryfor determining the height and width of the head can be gathered basedon the deflection, for example by means of an angle transmitter. The gapis selected such that fish of different sizes can be detected by meansof the measuring vane 42. The size of the gap, for example, is between15 and 40 mm and especially preferably approximately 30 mm.

Preferably, in the region of the measuring means 41, namely directlybelow the measuring means 41, arranged on the abutment element 32 is afixed take-up element 43 which is designed and configured to take up thefish with its head, in such a manner that the upper sliding surface ofthe take-up element 43 directed towards the measuring means 41, which isoriented parallel to the transport plane E_(H1), forms the referenceplane for the measuring means 41 when determining the thickness of thefish head and the position of the axis of symmetry of the fish head. Thetake-up element 43 ensures that the fish head is supported during themeasurement by filling the free space existing underneath the fish headdue to the anatomical conditions of the fish. The measuring means 41 iscalibrated in this variant to determine the distance from the uppersliding surface to the highest point of the fish head. The take-upelement 43 is preferably releasably attached to the abutment element 32and first has a ramp-like gradient in transport direction T which mergesinto the horizontal sliding surface. The underside of the take-upelement 43 is oriented parallel to the conveyor belt 30 and is lowfriction or better still frictionless, thus preferably arranged at asmall distance from the conveyor belt 30 such that the conveyor belt 30can be moved along below the take-up element 43. Starting from theabutment element 32, the take-up element 43 extends transverse to thetransport direction T towards the centre of the conveyor belt, that ispreferably in an extension corresponding to the expected region of thefish heads. In any case, the described width of the take-up element 43towards the centre of the conveyor belt 30 is smaller than the distancebetween the abutment element 32 and the webs 31 of the conveyor belt 30(see, for example, FIG. 5).

Especially preferably, a take-up element 44, which is designed andconfigured to take up the fish with its head, is also arranged fixedlyon the abutment element 32 in the change-over area, wherein the twotake-up elements 43, 44 are identically designed in respect of theirheight starting from the surface of the conveyor belt 30 up to the uppersliding surface of the take-up element 43, 44, such that the position ofthe axis of symmetry of the fish head determined by the measuring means41 is reproducible in the change-over area. Both take-up elements 43, 44are correspondingly designed in their geometry and are identical intheir dimensions and are correspondingly arranged at different positionsalong the transport path T_(L) in accordance with the abutment element32 and the conveyor belt 30.

Especially preferably, the transporting station 10 comprises a controldevice 45, wherein the or each drive for the conveyor belt 30 of theconveying device 11 and/or the or each drive 40 for the heightadjustment of the conveyor belt 30 of the conveying device 11 and/or themeasuring means 41 are connected to the control device 45. Allpositioning and orientation steps of the fish for optimum gripping ofthe fish in their axis of symmetry can then be carried out by theconveying device 11. In the embodiments shown, the suspended conveyingdevice 14 is correspondingly fixed in respect of its position. In otherwords, the gripping means 20 always run along the identical track. Tochange the distance between the transport chain of the suspendedconveying device 14 or the gripping means 20 on the one hand and theconveyor belt 30 of the conveying device 11 on the other hand, inparticular in the change-over area, optionally the lower run 18 of thetransport element 16, for example, can also be designed asheight-adjustable. There is also the possibility that the gripping means20 are adjustable in their distance from the conveyor belt 30. For thispurpose, possible adjusting drives, actuating mechanisms, adjustingcylinders or the like as well as drives for the transport element 16 canbe connected to the control device 45.

As already mentioned above, the distance of the measuring vane 42 fromthe abutment element 32 is defined transverse to the transport directionT. Preferably, the distance of the measuring means 41 or the measuringvane 42 from the abutment element 32 transverse to the transportdirection T, i.e. the measuring point, at which the measuring vane 42meets the side of the lower jaw on the fish head, corresponds to thedistance of the central and/or rotational axes M of the spike bodies 25,27 in the holding position from the abutment element 32 transverse tothe transport direction T. In other words, the spike bodies 25, 27 arearranged and oriented in such a manner of the gripping arm 24, 26 andarranged with a distance from the abutment element 32 such that thecentral spike 23 of the rigid spike body 25 is located precisely in theregion of the measuring point, wherein the “finding” of the exactposition of the measuring point is supported by the height adjustment ofthe change-over area and/or speed adjustments of the conveyor belt 30 bymeans of the control device 45.

In a preferred development, an impact element 46, directed substantiallyvertically downwards from the transport plane E_(H2), whose impactsurface is oriented in the direction of the suspended fish, is arrangedin transport direction T, downstream of the conveying device 11 forhorizontal transport of the fish and alongside the transport path T_(H)of the suspended conveying device 14. Preferably, a single impactelement 46, for example in the form of a simple impact plate or animpact body mounted against a spring force, is provided. The plane E_(P)spanned by the impact element 46 or its impact surface is approximatelyparallel to the vertical plane E_(V) described by the suspendedconveying device 14 or its rotating gripping means 20 and approximatelyperpendicular to the transport plane E_(H), such that the fish leavingthe conveyor belt 30 of the conveying device 11 and suspended on thesuspended conveying device 14 swing down about the axis of rotation Sand strike against the impact element 46 with the lateral flank, withwhich they have lain on the conveyor belt 30, approximately in thevertical orientation of their axis of symmetry.

In an embodiment not illustrated, a centering mechanism can also be usedfor positioning the fish instead of the measuring means 41 and thetake-up element 43, 44 on the one hand and the height adjustment of theconveyor belt 30 on the other hand. This centering mechanism comprisestwo positioning elements which are designed to be movable towards andaway from each other. The two positioning elements are movable in animaginary plane that is not to be understood as a mathematical plane,wherein this plane is oriented perpendicular to the transport planeE_(H) and extends in transport direction T. The positioning elementseach have an approximately triangular recess or more precisely a recessadapted to the contour of fish heads. One of the positioning elements isdesigned to engage on the fish head on the ventral side and the otherpositioning element is designed to engage on the fish head on the dorsalside. As the two positioning elements are arranged offset to each othertransverse to the transport direction, by moving the two positioningelements towards each other the recesses form a kind of parallelogramwhich decreases in size as a result of which the fish is brought into adefined position regardless of its size. Sharp-edged surrounds of therecesses additionally form a positioning aid in the longitudinaldirection of the fish. As soon as the fish lies and is fixed in thecentred position, the gripping means 20 already described comes intouse. The embodiment and functionality of the gripping means 20 isequivalent.

The transporting station 10 can be designed as an independent system, inparticular also as a retrofit unit. However, the transporting station 10is preferably part of a fish processing machine 47 (see, for example,FIG. 10). Such a fish processing machine 47 comprises a transportingstation 10 for transporting the fish into the region of a fishprocessing station 48 and at least one fish processing station 48. Thetransporting station 10 is preferably designed and configured accordingto one or more of claims 1 to 21, wherein the or each fish processingstation 48 is arranged in the region of the suspended position of thefish. In other words, the transporting station 10 is designed in themanner previously described in detail. Due to the fact that the fishprocessing station 48 is arranged in the region of the suspended fish,on reaching the fish processing station 48, the fish in theirperpendicular position with a vertically oriented axis of symmetry canbe optimally processed. This position is particularly important for theheading cut of the already slaughtered fish.

The fish processing machine 47 is preferably designed and configured forheading unslaughtered and/or slaughtered fish with opened abdominalcavities, in that a fish processing station 48 along the transport pathT_(H) of the suspended conveying device 14 is designed and configured asa heading apparatus 49. This heading apparatus 49 comprises a separatingdevice 50 for separating the body of fish suspended by the head, whereinthe separating device 50 comprises at least one pair of rotatablydrivable circular knives 51, 52 and the circular knives 51, 52 arearranged in a V-shape to each other on opposing sides of the transportpath T_(H). A second pair of rotatably drivable circular knives 51.1,52.1 is preferably provided. Preferably, the circular knives 51, 52,which are preferably designed and configured to perform a so-calledheading cut, can be adjusted in several degrees of freedom. The circularknives 51.1, 52.1, which are preferably designed and configured forfinal separation of the body from the head, are designed to be at leastheight-adjustable.

Preferably, a measuring means 53 for detecting and/or determining theposition of the collar bones of each suspended fish is arranged intransport direction T downstream of the conveying device 11 and upstreamof the heading apparatus 49 in the transport path T_(H) of the suspendedconveying device 14. The measuring means 53 is still arranged downstreamof the impact element 46 in transport direction T and is designed andconfigured to scan the fish bilaterally, i.e. on both lateral flanks.For this purpose, in a preferred embodiment, the measuring means 53comprises two spring-loaded scanning arms, which are designed to bemovable in transport direction T and simultaneously obliquely downwardson a common slide or separate slide, in such a manner that they aredesigned on the one hand to run synchronously and on the other handscanning the fish from top to bottom. For this purpose, the or eachslide is designed to be drivable by means of a linear drive obliquelydownwards along rails from the upper starting position and back. In afurther preferred embodiment (see, for example, FIG. 10), the measuringmeans 53 is designed as an optical measuring means. In addition, it ispossible, downstream of the conveying device 11 and upstream of the fishprocessing station 48, to provide a means for rotating the suspendedfish, preferably by 90°, in such a manner that the suspended fish hitthe fish processing station 48 laterally, i.e. with the “jaw” first.

A development of the fish processing machine 47 provides that a means 54for capturing the pectoral fins is arranged in transport direction Tdownstream of the conveying device 11 for horizontal transport of thefish and upstream of the heading apparatus 49 in the transport pathT_(H) of the suspended conveying device 14. This means 54, which isarranged in the transport direction downstream of the means 53, is usedprimarily to stabilise the suspended position of the fish and to keepclear the cutting region for the circular knives 51, 52. Optionally, thefish processing machine 47 can comprise transport conveyors fortransporting away the bodies separated from the head and/or fortransporting away the heads released from the clamping of the grippingmeans 20. Further fish processing stations 48 can be provided inaddition to the heading apparatus 49. FIG. 10 optionally illustratesfurther components, such as a height-adjustable circular knife 55 forsevering the tail fin. In addition, in the region of the or each fishprocessing station 48, a means 56 can be arranged for holding the fishbody, in particular during the separation process. This means 56optionally has two rotationally driven chains which can be brought intooperative connection with the fish body. As indicated in FIG. 10, alldrive, transport, measuring and processing components can be connectedto the central control device 45. It is also possible to only connectindividual components to the control device 45. Optionally, a pluralityof separate control devices that are coordinated with each other canalso be provided.

The method for changing the position of a fish is described in greaterdetail below. First, the fish are individually deposited on arotationally driven transport element 12 of a conveying device 11 fortransporting the fish in a lying position along a transport path T_(L)and transporting the fish along the transport path T_(L) from an entryregion E of the conveying device 11 to an exit region A of the conveyingdevice 11.

This method is characterised according to the invention in that the fishare transferred automatically from the lying position to a suspendedposition by means of the change-over device 13, in that the fish aregripped by the conveying device 11 using the chance-over device 13 alongthe transport path T_(L) and are brought into the suspended positionwhile being transported along a transport path T_(H). The fish which arepositioned on the transport element 12, already oriented in theirlongitudinal extent during manual or automatic placement, thus passthrough the conveying device 11 along the transport path T_(L), whereinthe fish are then gripped by the transfer device 13 while passingthrough, such that during further transport the fish slip from thetransport element 12, held, however, by the change-over device 13 andare transported further along the transport path T_(H). For thechange-over, the two transport paths T_(L) and T_(H) run in partparallel and in a plane one above the other such that the change-overdevice 13 and the conveying device 11 can come into operative connectionwith each other at least temporarily. In simple terms, in sections thetwo transport paths T_(L) and T_(H) describe an identical route in orderto ensure the change-over.

The fish are transported preferably abdomen-first in transport directionT, with the spine on webs 31 extending transverse to the transportdirection T of a conveyor belt 30 of the transport element 12 and withthe head resting on an abutment element 32 assigned to the conveyor belt30. Optionally, the fish can also be transported spine-first such thatthe abdomen rests on the web 31. During transport in transport directionT, the fish on the transport element 12 pass through a measuringstation. Fish-size-relevant data, in particular the thickness of thehead perpendicular to the transport plane E_(H) spanned by the conveyorbelt 30 and/or the width of the head in the transport plane E_(H) intransport direction T are recorded and/or determined in a section I ofthe conveyor belt 30 by a measuring means 41. Recording and determiningalso includes identifying, calculating or any other kind of evaluation.The thickness of the head can be determined absolutely, i.e. fromsidewall to sidewall of the fish head, or starting from a lowerreference plane, for example the surface of the conveyor belt 30, or(see below) a surface if a take-up element 43, up to the highest pointof the fish head. Instead of the width of the head from the outside ofthe lower jaw up to the outside of the upper jaw, the distance from theleading side of the head, in the preferred example the outside of thelower jaw, up to the web 31 on which the fish rests, can also bedetermined. If the thickness of the head is known, the position of theaxis of symmetry or the centerline of the head can be determinedaccordingly.

This data/information can preferably be stored so that it is possible toassign the data/information to each fish. For this purpose, a controldevice 45 can have a memory. Depending on the measured values recordedand/or determined, the conveyor belt 30 is moved in the region of thegripping means 20. More precisely, the fish is fed in a section II ofthe conveyor belt 30 to a gripping means 20 which grips the fish by thehead. For this purpose, the position of the head perpendicular to thegripping means 20 is adjusted by a height adjustment of the section IIof the conveyor belt 30 dependent on the data recorded and/or determinedby the measuring means 41. For example, the section H is pivoted aboutan axis in order to change the distance of the conveyor belt 30 from thegripping means 20 such that in the region of the gripping means 20 thefish head is located in the optimum and previously determined positionto the gripping means 20, i.e. in the same plane as in the region of themeasuring means 41. In other words, the fish with its fish head israised or lowered in order to strike the previously determinedcenterline of the fish head precisely with the gripping means 20.

For gripping the fish head by the lower jaw on the ventral side and bythe upper jaw on the dorsal side, one spike body 25, 27 in each casepenetrates the fish head, by moving the two gripping arms 24, 26 of thegripping means 20 bearing the spike bodies 25, 27 from a releaseposition into a holding position. Instead of the spike bodies 25, 27,other clamping or holding elements can also be used in order to fix thefish securely by its head. Once this form-fitting and force-fittingfixing of the fish has taken place in the change-over area betweensuspended conveying device 14 and conveying device 11, furthertransporting of the fixed fish in transport direction T, due todeflection of the conveyor belt 30 from the upper run 34 to the lowerrun 35, leads to the fish swinging downwards. Each gripping means 20 istransported along a suspended conveying device 14 of the change-overdevice 13 in a plane E_(V), which is oriented perpendicular to thetransport plane E_(H), beyond the transport path T_(L) of the conveyingdevice 11 along the transport path T_(H), such that the fish gripped bythe head pivot into the suspended position after leaving the conveyingdevice 11. The impact element 46 can slow down the pivoting or swingingof the fish.

In order in each case to bring the fish collision free and preciselybetween the gripping arms 24, 26 lowering in the direction of theconveyor belt 30 and spread apart, during transportation along thetransport path T_(L) from section I to section II of the conveyor belt30, the fish are positioned from below between the gripping arms 24, 26located in the release position, said gripping arms being moved fromabove in the vertical plane E_(V) in the direction of the conveyor belt30. In other words, the fish to be fixed and the corresponding grippingmeans 20 come together in the change-over area, which is formed in thesection II, in such a manner that the change-over device 13 can interactby means of the gripping arms 24, 26 and the spike bodies 25, 27arranged thereon with the conveying device 11 and the fish transportedthereon. However, the fish can also be fed into the change-over areahorizontally. In this case, the gripping arms 24, 26 are preferablyspread even further apart, for example at an angular position of 180°.

As mentioned, the gripping can be carried out by clamping jaws, clampingelements or the like. A particularly secure hold of the fish is achievedif the gripping arms 24, 26, which are located in the change-over areaon the lower run 16 of the suspended conveying device 14 and thereforeabove the upper run 34 of the conveying device 11, are moved towardseach other in the vertical plane E_(V) such that a rigid spike body 25with a single spike 23 completely penetrates through the head of thefish from the dorsal side, while a second, rotatably supported spikebody 27 with at least two spikes 29 penetrates into the head from theventral side. Due to the fact that spikes 23, 29 penetrate into orthrough on both sides of the fish head, the head is held securely andpositionally accurately/precisely.

There is the option that the transport speed of the conveyor belt 30 isvaried dependent on the recorded and/or determined data, in particularthe width of the head in the transport plane E_(H) in transportdirection T, when a fish is located in the region of the gripping means20 in such a way that the rotatable spike body 27 with the at least twospikes 29 meets the fish head at the same time as or chronologicallybefore the rigid spike body 25. The transport speed of the conveyor belt30 is preferably reduced briefly so that the rotatable spike body 27penetrates the fish head as a counter bearing before the rigid spikebody 25 pierces the skull plate of the fish head and other tissue andbone components. Subsequently, the transport speed is reset to theprevious value. Optionally, the transport speed can also be increasedbriefly. On complete penetration of the spike 23 through the fish head,considerable forces arise which are absorbed by the rotatable spike body27 such that the oriented position of the fish is maintained duringfixing. However, the two spike bodies 25, 27 can also strike the fishhead simultaneously.

In a further embodiment, the transport speed of the conveyor belt 30 canbe varied when a fish is located in the exit region A of the conveyingdevice 11 in such a way that the conveyor belt 30 or the webs 31arranged thereon are prevented from colliding with the swinging fish.The transport speed of the conveyor belt 30 is preferably reducedbriefly to enable the fish to swing down collision-free. As, forexample, another fish is located in the region of the gripping means 20while the first fish is being swung down, the changes in the transportspeed when gripping the fish on the one hand and on swinging down of thefish on the other hand must be coordinated with each other. This isaccomplished by the partitioning of the conveyor belt 30, i.e. thespacing of the webs 31 and therefore of the fish located on thetransport element 12.

Especially preferably, the fish run with their fish head onto a take-upelement 43 for recording and/or determining the fish-size-relevant datain such a way that the fish head is raised in relation to the transportplane E_(H). While the fish are transported along the transport path andthe fish heads slide along in the corridor formed by the abutmentelement 32 and the webs 31, the fish heads run below the measuring means41 via the ramp-like gradient onto the upper sliding surface of thetake-up element 43, such that a defined and reproducible position of thefish head in relation to the measuring means 41 is achieved. Themeasuring means 41 can then record the required data for the fish headmechanically, optically, electromechanically, electronically or inanother manner. When the take-up element 43 is used in the region of themeasuring means 41, a comparable run-on also occurs in the change-overarea, specifically at the point at which the gripping means 20 grips thefish. For this purpose, the fish also runs in the region of the grippingmeans 20 onto a corresponding take-up element 44 such that the fish liewith their head in the same plane in the region of the gripping means 20as in the region of the measuring means 41.

In the symmetrical position of each fish, optimally oriented by thetransporting station 10 according to the invention, the fish is fed toits processing, in particular to a heading apparatus 49. For thispurpose, the fish are transported suspended along the transport pathT_(H). When the symmetrically oriented fish reaches the headingapparatus 49, the body is separated from the fish head by means of thecircular knives 51, 52 arranged in a V-shape. The body is picked up forsubsequent processing and transported onwards. The fish heads arereleased from the fixing by opening the gripping arms 24, 26 to therelease position and are also collected and transported for subsequentprocessing or discharge.

Before separation of the head, the fish can be measured yet again alongthe transport path T_(H), for example by a measuring means 53 fordetecting and/or determining the position of the collar bones of eachsuspended fish. The measuring means 53 scans the outer contour of thefish on both lateral flanks in order to find the position of the collarbones. Knowing the position of the collar bones, the circular knives 51,52 can then be controlled even more precisely.

1. Transporting station (10), designed and configured for transportingfish transverse to their longitudinal extent in a transport direction T,comprising a conveying device (11) for transporting individual,separated fish in a lying position along a transport path TL from anentry region E of the conveying device (11) to an exit region A of theconveying device (11), wherein the conveying device (11) comprises arotationally driven transport element (12), characterised in that theconveying device (11) is assigned a change-over device (13) which isdesigned and configured and is in operative connection with theconveying device (11), in such a manner that the fish can be transferredautomatically from the lying position on the transport path TL of theconveying device (11) into a suspended position on a transport path THof the change-over device (13).
 2. Transporting station (10) accordingto claim 1, characterised in that the change-over device (13) comprisesa suspended conveying device (14), arranged above the conveying device(11) for transport of the fish in a lying position, for transporting thefish suspended along a transport path TH and a mechanism (15) fortransferring the fish, namely for removing the fish from the conveyingdevice (11) for transport of the fish in a lying position and forholding the fish during suspended transport along the transport path TH.3. Transporting station (10) according to claim 2, characterised in thatthe suspended conveying device (14) extends beyond the conveying device(11) in transport direction T, wherein the change-over area for the fishfrom the conveying device (11) to the suspended conveying device (14) isformed in the overlapping region of the conveying device (11) and thesuspended conveying device (14) in transport direction T upstream of theexit region A of the conveying device (11).
 4. Transporting station (10)according to claim 2, characterised in that the suspended conveyingdevice (14) comprises a rotationally driven transport element (16) onwhich the mechanism (15) for removing and holding the fish is arranged,wherein the means (15) comprises at least one gripping means (20) forgripping the head of a fish.
 5. Transporting station (10) according toclaim 4, characterised in that the transport element (16) of thesuspended conveying device (14) is a transport chain rotationally drivenabout a deflecting and/or drive body (17), whose central and/orrotational axes R1 are oriented horizontal and transverse to thetransport direction T, in such a manner that the means (15) for removingand holding the fish is moved in a vertical plane E_(V) and has thesmallest distance to the transport element (12) of the conveying device(11) in the change-over area.
 6. Transporting station (10) according toclaim 4, characterised in that the means (15) for removing and holdingthe fish comprises a plurality of gripping device (20) rotating with thetransport element (16) of the suspended conveying device (14), whereineach gripping device (20) has two gripping elements (21, 22), of whichat least one gripping element (21, 22) is provided with at least onespike (23, 29) directed towards the fish to be gripped.
 7. Transportingstation (10) according to claim 6, characterised in that a firstgripping element (21) comprises a gripping arm (24) with a torsionallyfixed and rigid spike body (25) arranged on the free end and the secondgripping element (22) comprises a gripping arm (26) with a rotatablysupported spike body (27) arranged on the free end, wherein the grippingarms (24, 26) are designed and configured to be automatically movabletowards each other into a holding position and away from each other intoa release position and vice versa in the vertical plane EV and in thehorizontal position the central and/or rotational axes M of the spikebodies (25, 27) are oriented horizontally and parallel to the transportdirection T.
 8. Transporting station (10) according to claim 7,characterised in that a first spike body (25) of the first grippingelement (21) has a spike (23) completely penetrating the head of a fish,said spike entering the second spike body (27) in the holding position,which is why the second spike body (27) of the second gripping element(22) has an opening (28) for receiving the spike (23) of the first spikebody (25), wherein at least two spikes (29) penetrating the head arearranged around the opening (28) of the second spike body (27). 9.Transporting station (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that,in the holding position, the only and central spike (23) of the firstspike body (25) forms the pivot axis S oriented horizontally andparallel to the transport direction T for each fish.
 10. Transportingstation (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that the transportelement (12) is designed and configured for lying transport of the fishabdomen- or spine-first in transport direction T and comprises aconveyor belt (30) which has webs (31) running transverse to thetransport direction T and extending perpendicular to the transport planeEH and rotating with the conveyor belt (30) for subdividing saidconveyor belt (30) into individual sections for each receiving a singlefish, wherein the webs (31) only extend in each case over part of thewidth of the conveyor belt (30).
 11. Transporting station (10) accordingto claim 10, characterised in that on at least one side in transportdirection T a fixed abutment element (32) for positioning each fish inits longitudinal orientation transverse to the transport direction T isassigned to the conveyor belt (30), wherein the abutment element (32) isdesigned and configured for positioning the fish head in a definedposition.
 12. Transporting station (10) according to claim 10,characterised in that the conveyor belt (30), which is formed from anupper run (34) as transport run and a lower run (35) as return run, isguided about at least three deflecting and/or drive bodies (36), whosecentral and/or rotational axes R2 are oriented horizontal and transverseto the transport direction T, and in the region of the upper run (34)said conveyor belt has a first section I which spans a transport planeEH1 and a second section II following in transport direction T whichspans a transport plane EH2, wherein the transport plane EH2 is situatedabove the transport plane EH1 such that the fish are transported by theconveyor belt (30) on an incline from the transport plane EH1 to thetransport plane EH2 via a connecting section III.
 13. Transportingstation (10) according to claim 10, characterised in that the conveyorbelt (30) is designed to be height-adjustable at least in thechange-over area.
 14. Transporting station (10) according to claim 12,characterised in that the section II of the conveyor belt (30) spanningthe transport plane EH2 is designed to be pivotable by way of a drive(40) about a pivot axis C which is oriented horizontal and transverse tothe transport direction T.
 15. Transporting station (10) according toclaim 11, characterised in that it comprises a measuring device (41) forrecording and/or determining fish-size-relevant data, in particular fordetermining the thickness of the head perpendicular to the transportplane EH and the width of the head in the transport plane EH intransport direction T, wherein the measuring device (41) is arrangedupstream of the change-over area in transport direction T. 16.Transporting station (10) according to claim 15, characterised in thatthe measuring device (41) is arranged fixedly above the conveying device(11) and comprises a measuring vane (42) which is designed and arrangedfor deflection by the fish head.
 17. Transporting station (10) accordingto claim 15, characterised in that in the region of the measuring device(41), namely directly below the measuring device (41), arranged on theabutment element (32) is a fixed take-up element (43) which is designedand configured to take up the fish with its head, in such a manner thatthe upper sliding surface of the take-up element (43) directed towardsthe measuring device (41), which is oriented parallel to the transportplane EH1, forms the reference plane for the measuring device (41) whendetermining the thickness of the fish head and the position of the axisof symmetry of the fish head.
 18. Transporting station (10) according toclaim 17, characterised in that a take-up element (44), which isdesigned and configured to take up the fish with its head, is alsoarranged fixedly on the abutment element (32) in the change-over area,wherein the two take-up elements (43, 44) are identically designed inrespect of their height starting from the surface of the conveyor belt(30) up to the upper sliding surface of the take-up element (43, 44),such that the position of the axis of symmetry of the fish headdetermined by the measuring device (41) is reproducible in thechange-over area.
 19. Transporting station (10) according to claim 15,characterised in that it comprises a control device (45), wherein the oreach drive for the conveyor belt (30) of the conveying device (11)and/or the or each drive (40) for the height adjustment of the conveyorbelt (30) of the conveying device (11) and/or the measuring device (41)are connected to the control device (45).
 20. Transporting station (10)according to claim 15, characterised in that the distance of themeasuring device (41) from the abutment element (32) transverse to thetransport direction T, i.e. the measuring point, corresponds to thedistance of the central and/or rotational axes M of the spike bodies(25, 27) in the holding position from the abutment element (32)transverse to the transport direction T.
 21. Transporting station (10)according to claim 1, characterised in that an impact element (46),directed substantially vertically downwards from the transport planeEH2, whose impact surface is oriented in the direction of the suspendedfish, is arranged in transport direction T, downstream of the conveyingdevice (11) for transport of the fish in a lying position and alongsidethe transport path TH of the suspended conveying device (14).
 22. Fishprocessing machine (47), comprising a transporting station (10) fortransporting the fish in the region of a fish processing station and atleast one fish processing station (48), characterised in that thetransporting station (10) is designed and configured according to claim1, wherein the or each fish processing station (48) is arranged in theregion of the suspended position of the fish.
 23. Fish processingmachine (47) according to claim 22, characterised in that it is designedand configured for heading unslaughtered and/or slaughtered fish withopened abdominal cavities, in that a fish processing station (48) alongthe transport path TH of the suspended conveying device (14) is designedand configured as a heading apparatus (49).
 24. Fish processing machine(47) according to claim 23, characterised in that the heading apparatus(49) comprises a separating device (50) for separating the body of fishsuspended by the head, wherein the separating device (50) comprises apair of rotatably drivable circular knives (51, 52) and the circularknives (51, 52) are arranged in a V-shape to each other on opposingsides of the transport path TH.
 25. Fish processing machine (47)according to claim 23, characterised in that a measuring device (53) fordetecting and/or determining the position of the collar bones of eachsuspended fish is arranged in transport direction T downstream of theconveying device (11) and upstream of the heading apparatus (49) in thetransport path TH of the suspended conveying device (14).
 26. Fishprocessing machine (47) according to claim 23, characterised in that adevice (54) for capturing the pectoral fins is arranged in transportdirection T downstream of the conveying device (11) for transport of thefish in a lying position and upstream of the heading apparatus (49) inthe transport path TH of the suspended conveying device (14).
 27. Methodfor transporting fish transverse to their longitudinal extent intransport direction T, comprising the steps: individually placing thefish on a rotationally driven transport element (12) of a conveyingdevice (11) for transporting the fish in a lying position along atransport path TL, transporting the fish along the transport path TLfrom an entry region E of the conveying device (11) to an exit region Aof the conveying device (11), characterised in that the fish aretransferred automatically from the lying position to a suspendedposition by means of the change-over device (13), in that the fish arepicked-up from the conveying device (11) using the change-over device(13) along the transport path TL and are brought into the suspendedposition while being transported along a transport path TH.
 28. Methodaccording to claim 27, characterised in that the fish is transportedabdomen-first in transport direction T, with the spine on webs (31)extending transverse to the transport direction T of a conveyor belt(30) of the transport element (12) and with the head resting on anabutment element (32) assigned to the conveyor belt (30), whereinfish-size-relevant data, in particular the thickness of the headperpendicular to the transport plane EH spanned by the conveyor belt(30) and/or the width of the head in the transport plane EH in transportdirection T are recorded and/or determined in a section I of theconveyor belt (30) by a measuring device (41).
 29. Method according toclaim 28, characterised in that the position of the axis of symmetry ofthe head is determined based on the thickness of the head.
 30. Methodaccording to claim 28, characterised in that the fish is fed in asection II of the conveyor belt (30) to a gripping device (20) whichgrips the fish by the head, wherein the position of the headperpendicular to the gripping device (20) is adjusted by a heightadjustment of the section II of the conveyor belt (30) dependent on thedata recorded and/or determined by the measuring device (41), such thatin the region of the gripping device (20) the fish head is located inthe same plane as in the region of the measuring device (41).
 31. Methodaccording to claim 27, characterised in that for gripping the fish headby the lower jaw on the ventral side and by the upper jaw on the dorsalside, one spike body (25, 27) in each case penetrates the fish head, bymoving the two gripping arms (24, 26) of the gripping device (20)bearing the spike bodies (25, 27) from a release position into a holdingposition.
 32. Method according to claim 27, characterised in that eachgripping device (20) along a suspended conveying device (14) of thechange-over device (13) in a plane EV, which is oriented perpendicularto the transport plane EH, is transported beyond the transport path TLof the conveying device (11) along the transport path TH, such that thefish gripped by the head pivot into the suspended position after leavingthe conveying device (11).
 33. Method according to claim 31,characterised in that, during transportation along the transport path TLfrom section I to section II of the conveyor belt (30), the fish arepositioned from below between the gripping arms (24, 26) located in therelease position, said gripping arms being moved from above in thevertical plane EV in the direction of the conveyor belt (30).
 34. Methodaccording to claim 31, characterised in that the gripping arms are movedtowards each other in the vertical plane EV such that a rigid spike body(25) with a single spike (23) completely penetrates through the head ofthe fish from the dorsal side, while a second, rotatably supported spikebody (27) with at least two spikes (29) penetrates into the head fromthe ventral side.
 35. Method according to claim 34, characterised inthat the transport speed of the conveyor belt (30) is varied dependenton the recorded and/or determined data, in particular the width of thehead in the transport plane EH in transport direction T, when a fish islocated in the region of the gripping device (20) in such a way that therotatable spike body (27) with the at least two spikes (29) meets thefish head at the same time as or chronologically before the rigid spikebody (25).
 36. Method according to claim 35, characterised in that thetransport speed of the conveyor belt (30) is varied when a fish islocated in the exit region A of the conveying device (11) in such a waythat the conveyor belt (30) or the webs (31) arranged thereon areprevented from colliding with the swinging fish, wherein the changes inthe transport speed are coordinated with each other on gripping of thefish on the one hand, and on swinging down of the fish on the otherhand, by the partitioning of the conveyor belt (30).
 37. Methodaccording to claim 28, characterised in that the fish run with theirfish head onto a take-up element (43) for recording and/or determiningthe fish-size-relevant data in such a way that the fish head is raisedin relation to the transport plane EH.
 38. Method according to claim 37,characterised in that the fish in the region of the gripping device (20)also run onto a corresponding take-up element (44) such that the fishlie with their head in the same plane in the region of the grippingdevice (20) as in the region of the measuring device (41).